Cars-stopping device for inclined railways.



No. 780,347. PATENTED JAN. 17,1905.

S. E. JAGKMAN. GAR STOPPING DEVICE FOR INULINBD RAILWAYS.

APPL'IOATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1904.

TS-SHEBT 1.

PATENTED JAN. 7, 1905.

S. E. JACKMAN.

OAR STOPPING DEVICE FOR I'NGLINED RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1904.

3 HEETSSHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS IVI/ENTOR WITNESSES:

No. 780,347. PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905.

s. E. JAGKMAN.

OAR STOPPING DEVICE FOR INGLINED RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1904.

4 SHEBTSSHEET 3.

W NESSES' By v ATTORNEYS PATENTED- JAN. 17, 1905.

8. B. JHAGKMAN. OAR STOPPING DEVICE FOR INOLINED RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPi. 19, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHBET 4 ATTORNEYS lhvrrnn STATES Patented January 17, 1905.

PATENT @rrrcn.

CAP-STOPPBNG DEVICE FOR INCLINEID RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,37, dated January17, 1905.

Application filed September 19,1904. Serial No. 225,048.

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN EDWARD JAoK- MAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and aresident of the city of New York, ()oney Island, borough ofBrooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented anew and Improved Car-Stopping Device for Inclined Railways, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to inclined or switchback railways, such as areused in pleasure resorts, exhibitions, and like places.

- The object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedcar-stopping device for inclined railways, arranged in case one of thecars breaks down or gets out of order or accidentally stops to stop allthe cars on the track, thus preventing the cars from running one intothe other.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointedout in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure l is a plan view of theimprovement. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation ofthe actuating device for a brake mechanism and the releasing device fornormally supporting the actuating device and releasing it in case ofaccident. Fig. L is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation of oneof the brake mechanisms and one of the cars, the section being on theline at 4: of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the same on the line5 5 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of part of the brake-actuatingmechanism, part of the supporting structure being shown in section.

The inclined railway shown in the drawings is provided with a continuoustrack of an approximately oval shape and consisting of a station portionA, the front end of which leads to the lower end of the up-track A,terminating at its highest point at the beginning of the down-track A,terminating at its lower end in the homestretch A leading back to thestation portion A. The cars B for traveling over the track in thedirection of the arrow a are hauled up the up-track- A by a suitabledevice -such, for instance, as an endless chain C engaging dogs on thecars B, the said chain being driven by a suitable driving device D,actuated by an engine or other motor E.

In the down-track A are arranged a plurality of brake mechanisms F, F, FF, F, and F, of which the brake mechanisms F, F, F F, and F arepreferably located in the half-round portions of the track, while thebrake mechanism F is arranged in the straight portion of the track, asplainly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The brake mechanisms F, F, F F, F, and Fare alike in construction, and each is provided with a pair oflongitudinally extending brake beams G G, adapted to be moved inengagement with rubbing-irons B, held on the bodies of the cars B, tobring a car traveling on the track to a standstill when engaged by apair of said beams.

Each of the beams Gr of a pair of brakebeams is secured at one end by abolt G (see Fig. 4:) to the supporting structure A of the track, and theother end ofthe beam is provided with an elongated slot G2, throughwhich extends a bolt (i likewise secured to the structure A". The pairof brake-beams G Gr in their normal position have their upper faces adistance below the rubbing-irons B of the cars B, so that the lattertravel over the track Without interference on the part of thebrake-beams; but in case of an accident the middleportions of thebrake-beams are pressed on in an upward direction, so as to spring thebrake-beams and force the same upwardly for the rubbing-irons B of anapproaching car B to come gradually in contact with the said brake-beamsfor bringing the car to a standstill. For the purpose described the pairof brake-beams Gr Gr are engaged at the under side between the ends ofthe beams by the upper ends of pairs of levers H, (see Figs. 4: and 5.)fulcrumed at H on the structure A". The levers H of each pair areengaged at their lower ends by the trunnions of a cross-beam H", and thecross-beams for the twopairs of levers H for each brake mechanism areconnected with each other by a link H connected by a flexibleconnection, such as a chain or rope 11*, with a transverse lever Hfulcrumed at H on a support A forming part of the structure A*. (SeeFig. 6.) The levers H for the brake mechanisms F, F, and F are connectedby a rope or chain I, passing over suitable guide-pulleys I, with alever J, fulcrumed at J on the supporting structure A, (see Figs. 2 and3,) and the le: vers H for the brake mechanisms F and F" are connectedby ropes or chains 1 passing over guide-pulleys 1 with the lever H ofthe brake mechanism F, as plainly indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 6.

The lever J is provided at or near its free end with a weight K,preferably in the formv of a weighted box, adapted to rise and fall in asuitable casing or well K, and the free end of the said lever J rests onthe top of the peripheral face of a roller L, journaled on one end of aslide L, mounted to slide lengthwise in suitable bearings L secured tothe structure A The slide L is connected by links L with an uprighthand-lever N, adapted to be moved by the operator in the direction ofthe arrow Z) to cause the slide L to move, and thereby withdraw thefriction-roller L from under the free end of the lever J, so that thelatter can swing downward by the action of its weight K. Normally,however, the weighted lever J is supported on the friction-roller L, sothat the several brake mechanisms remain in their normal inactivepositions that is, allow the cars to pass freely over the brakemechanisms Withoutinterference by the same.

In practice a number of cars-say three or four spaced suitable distancesapart are run over the track at a time, and in case one of the carsbreaks down or comes to a stop for one reason or another then theoperator in charge on noticing the mishap pulls the handlever N in thedirection of the arrow 7), thus releasing the weighted lever J to allowthe latter to swing downward, and thereby exert a pull on the severalropes 1 to actuate the brake mechanisms F, F, F F2 and F so that theseveral cars traveling over the track at the time are broughtsimultaneously to a standstill on reaching the next brake mechanismahead, and consequently the cars are prevented from running one into theother.

The brake mechanism F is for the same purpose as the brake mechanisms F,F, F, F*, and and is actuated from the lever J; but in addition thisbrake mechanism F serves as a speed-checking device for checking thespeed of the cars in case the same acquire too much momentum. For thepurpose described it is necessary to raise the brake-beams G G of thisbrake mechanism F to such a height that the cars on traveling over thedown-track 'A at the said brake mechanism F have their rubbing-irons Bcome sufficiently in contact with the brake-beams to check the speed ofthe car for the time being; but the said brakebeams G G of the brakemechanism F are not raised to their full extent unless an accident takesplace, and then the beams G G of this brake mechanism F are raised tothe full extent with the brake-beams of the other brake mechanisms F, F,F F*, and F For the purpose described the lever H for the brakemechanism F is connected by a rope or chain F with a separate lever 0,(see Figs. 2 and 4,) fulcrumed on the structure A* and connected by anadjustable connection P with the lever J, so that when the latter swingsdownward the lever O is caused to swing with it to cause the chain orrope 1* to actuate the lever H and consequently the levers H and thebrake-beams G Gr of the brake mechanism F, the same as the brake-beamsin the other brake mechanisms F, F F F, and F The lever O is adapted tobe set so that its chain or rope I pulls on the lever IF of the brakemechanism F to such an extent as to keep the brake-beams Gr G of thisbrake mechanism slightly raised for checking the speed of the carspassing over the track at this brake mechanism F. In order to hold thelever O in this set position, suitable means may be employedforinstance, a dog Q, fulcrumed on the lever O and engaging a toothedsegment Oisecured to the structure A'*. Thenever the lever O is set tobring the brakebeams G G of the brake mechanism F into the desiredposition,it is necessary to lengthen or shorten the connection Paccordingly, so.

as to properly connect the levers O and J with each other for the leverJ to actuate the lever 0 whenever the slide L is withdrawn, aspreviously explained.

In order to prevent a car which leaves the upper end of the up-track Afrom running into a car brought to a standstill at the first brakemechanism F, it is necessary to stop the car going up the L p-track, andfor this pur pose the following device is provided: The lever J isconnected by a rope or chain Q, passing over pulleys Q, with a suitablestopping device I), such as a clutch mechanism in the driving device D,to bringthe latter to a standstill whenever the lever J is released andswings downward and the several brake mechanisms are moved into action,as above explained. By the arrangement described the driving device D isbrought to a stand still in case of accident, and consequently the chainG stops traveling and the car held on the chain is brought to astandstill.

The lever N is preferably located at or near the junction of thehomestretch A with the station portion A, adjacent to the hand-leversemployed for actuating the brake mechanisms located in the homestretch Aand of the construction more fully shown and de- IIO scribed in theLetters Patent of the United States No. 749,691, granted to me for abrake mechanism for inclined railways January 12, 1904, so that furthershowing and description of this part of the inclined railway is notdeemed necessary.

Having thus described my invention,l claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination with an inclined railway, and aplurality of cars traveling independently of each other on the railway,of mechanical braking means i n the said railway for simultaneouslyengaging and stopping the several cars on the said railway, the saidmechanical means being normally in an inactivenon-bralting position, toallow free travel of the cars over the railway.

2. The combination with an inclined railway having acontinuous track, ofa plurality of cars spaced apart and traveling independently of eachother on the said track, and mechanical braking means in the saidcontinuous track, for simultaneously engaging and stopping the cars onthe said track, to prevent the cars from running one into the other.

3. An inclined railway provided with a continuous track, and a pluralityof mechanical brake mechanisms, distributed in the track, for engagingand bringing the several cars on the track to a standstill,independently one of the other, the brake mechanisms being normally inan inactive non-braking position, to allow free travel of the cars overthe track.

4. An inclined railway provided with a track, a plurality of mechanismsdistributed in the track, for bringing the several cars on the track toa standstill, independently one of the other, and an actuating devicefor holding the said mechanisms normally in an inactive position andwhen released for simultaneously moving the same into an activeposition.

5. An inclined railway provided with a track, a plurality of mechanismsdistributed in the track, for bringing the several cars on the track toa standstill, independently one of the other, an actuating device forholding the said mechanisms normally in an inactive position and whenreleased for simultaneously moving the same into an active position, anda manually-controlled releasing device for the said actuating device, tonormally support the latter and to release the same when required.

6. An inclined railway provided with a track, a driving'means forraising a car up on a portion of said track, brake mechanismsdistributed in the track, and. a device connected with the said meansand the said brake mechanisms, for stopping the said driving means andfor moving the said brake mechanisms track and a'down-track terminatingin a homestretch leading to the station portion, means for moving thecars up the said up-track, brake mechanisms for the ears, arranged inthe said down-track and spaced apart, and a device connected'with thesaid means, to stop the latter, and connected with the said brakemechanisms, to move the same into an active position to brake the carson the down-track.

8. An inclined railway provided with brake mechanisms in the track,normally out of engagement with the cars traveling over the track, aweighted lever connected with the said brake mechanisms, and amanually-controlled device i'or normally supporting the lever andarranged to allow the lever to swing to actuate the said brakemechanisms simultaneously.

9. An inclined railway provided with brake mechanisms in the track,normally out of engagement with the cars traveling over the track, aweighted lever connected with the said brake mechanisms, at drivingdevice for moving the cars up the up-track portion of the said track, astepping device for the said driving device, connected with the saidweighted lever, and a n1am1ally-controlled device for normallysupporting the lever and arranged to allow the lever to swing to actuatethe said brake mechanisms simultaneously and to actuate the saidstopping device.

10. An inclined railway provided with a speed-checking mechanism,arranged in the inclined track between the ends thereof, and adapted torub on a car as the latter travels down the track, over and past thespeed-checking mechanism to temporarily check the speed of the car whilethe latter travels over the said speed-checking mechanism.

11. An inclined railway provided with a speed-checking mechanism,arranged in the inclined track between the ends thereof, and adapted torub on a car as the latter travels down the track, over and past thespeed-checking mechanism to temporarily check the speed of the car whilethe latter travels over the said, speed-checking mechanism, and meansfor setting the said speed-checking mechanism, to check the car more orless.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

STEPIIEN EDWARD J ACKMAN.

Witnesses:

THEO. Gr. Hos'rER, VILLIAM P. GoEBnL.

